A Place That's Worth Sharing As Much As Their Food: Check out Caruso Ristorante Italiano in Makati

I am really thankful that through my blog I was
able to discover restaurants that are not just the ones located within my usual
territory. It was a great opportunity for me to be able to work in Makati which
gave me a better appreciation among the many interesting food finds there: and
to think even a number of them have even operating for over twenty years and it’s
just now that I find out about their food! Gosh!

Take Caruso Ristorante Italiano (located along SM Jazz in Makati), for example, which
I only found out about after my good friend Jeng ofFood In The Bag
recommended me to try. The place boasts of authentic Italian food fare that’s
worth your time. But, to be honest, it's not the most affordable especially for those with average budget for food, so you may need to spend
more considering that each person can cost you around Php400 (if you are dining with friends) to Php2000 for dates with your special someone. Nothing to be intimated though. I mean, what else do you expect if a place is stamped by the Italian Embassy? I'm quite excited to find out.

Initially, the whole ambiance exudes fine dining.
Wines are available at your request. There is a bar as soon as you enter the
restaurant which means cocktails are available. A piano is situated at one of the
corners of the restaurant, a memorabilia of photos hang on the walls, and a
number of paintings are displayed (while taking note that the floor above them
is actually a gallery). I can see that on a Sunday it's usual small to big families who frequent Caruso Ristorante Italiano.

It was a gloomy Sunday afternoon and as I look
through their windows the slight rain drizzles outside. It’s a bit cold but the
weather just made my time there much more comfortable. But the food at Caruso,
damn was it good.

My favorite place inside Caruso Ristorante Italiano is this almost magical-looking brick oven that is used for cooking hundreds, if not thousands of pizza and bread.

So we went straight to some starters. Of course,
you wouldn’t see a good Italian restaurant that doesn’t serve bread with some
sort of dip that’s based with olive oil, herbs and fresh parmigiano reggiano. What’s even better is when a
restaurant bakes their own table bread. I’m lovin’ the combination of textures
from the crusty outside to the slightly chewy center and the subtle specks of flavor from the rosemary.

Freshly Baked Bread

The Insalata Caruso (Php460) is a fresh salad filled with eggs, tuna in vegetable oil, and fresh mozzarella pieces. It's light, and it did not need any additional salt because the tuna was already giving that sea salty flavor that mellows down as soon as you bite on to the greens, juicy tomatoes and creamy mozzarella.

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Insalata Caruso

Mozzarella Di Buffala E Prosciutoo Di Parma

If you think that Italy is only about pizza and pasta, why don't you experience a deeper appreciation with the cuisine with this plate of Buffala Cheese and Parma Ham (Php760), or more popularly known as prosciutto. The incredible flavor from the cured meat just goes very well with the buffalo cheese. Tip: If you happen to have prosciutto at home, try wrapping them around wedges of sweet honeydew melon or cantaloupe. It's so simple but tastes wonderful!
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Pasta Terra

Then the pasta came in their freshest state. The Pasta Terra is a trio of their many pasta variations, and you can even ask the servers as to which kinds of pasta you would prefer to have along with their sauces that's made with the finest ingredients. During that time, we were served with the classics: Gargenelli Di Mamma Martina(Garganelli with Porcini Mushroom) that has a definite and meaty bite, Tagliatelle Alla Crema Di Tartuffo(Tagliatelle with fresh Truffle Cream and Parma Ham) (nothing fake here for sure), and Raviolini Emiliano Ridieni El Buro E Salvia(Ravioli filled with Spinach & Ricotta) in an almost floral Butter and Sage sauce. Everything was so delicious, but my personal favorite was the Gargenelli with Porcini Mushrooms, because there is just something about the flavor of porcini that's so addicting!

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Scaloppine De Vitello al Limone

If you think that Italians don't eat as much as Filipinos do, think again. Although things like rice are not so much the kind of food you'd see on their plates, they are still known for drinking wine all afternoon with cured meats and cheese.

This same motivation with eating was the reason why I did not hesitate to move on with the next course: Scalloppine De Vitello al Limone (Veal Slices in Lemon Sauce) is the perfect dish to have on a cold Sunday afternoon. It's just fascinating on how Italians can have their food in such minimalistic ways but then you'll realize on how you can eat manage to finish the whole plate. The truth is: they're just too good for sharing.

If you wish for a perfect ending to your meal at Caruso Ristorante Italiano, don't hesitate to order their Classic Italian Panna Cotta (Php360) which is a real winner on its own. It's not the typical panna cotta that I've had before, which is much paler than what Caruso serves. It's looking much like our leche flan, only it's topped with chewy cashew bits.

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Classic Italian Panna cotta

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Overall, it's truly delizioso at Caruso Ristorante Italiano! The place is great for almost all occasions - lunch meetings, dates, office lunch, anniversaries, even birthday parties! On top of that, they also hold a number of functions and contests for us to appreciate more about the culture and the arts. An example of this was when they recently held a contest for artists to showcase their paintings at the gallery above the restaurant.